The subject a docking system, which essentially comprises at least one docking station for at least one self-propelled working tool, and includes the working tool itself, preferably intended for attendance of ground or floor, such as grass-cutting, moss-scratching, watering, vacuum-cleaning, polishing, transportation, or the like, and the docking station and the tool can by way of emitted signals establish contact with each other, so that the tool can drive up to the docking station, and the docking station is provided with at least one first transmission part for transmission of energy and/or information between the docking station and the tool, which is provided with at least one cooperating second transmission part.
The idea to create a working tool, which manage completely by itself, such as a robot lawn mover or a robot vacuum-cleaner, is old, but has been difficult to realize. The solar cell-driven lawnmower, called Solar Mower, is however an example of such kind of product. It cuts the grass within a border cable, which has been placed in order to fence off the cutting area. Preferably the border cable is buried into the ground. A signal generator feeds the border cable with current, whose magnetic field affects a sensing unit on the working tool. Since the working tool is driven by solar cell energy, it is reduced to work with very low power, only slightly more than 10 watts. This means that the maximum ground area which the working tool could manage to cut will be limited. Furthermore, the solar cell operation as well as the demand for low power consumption lead to a relatively complicated and expensive design.
An immediate idea would be to create a battery-powered cutting machine, which should be connected manually for recharging its batteries. This would enable a simpler cutting machine, however, at the same time the big advantage of having a fully automatic grass cutting machine would disappear. Obviously, the same also applies for a battery-powered vacuum-cleaner. Docking stations for recharging of battery-powered, loop-controlled trucks are probably known. The design of such kind of docking system is essentially facilitated by the fact that the docking procedure takes place on even floors.
The purpose of the subject invention is to substantially reduce the above outlined problems by creating a docking system, which is applicable both on rough ground as well as on even floors.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a docking system that includes a docking station for location on a surface to be worked upon. The docking station has a primary transmission part for transfer of energy and/or information. The system includes a self-propelled working tool for movement on the surface. The tool has a body, a surface-engaging wheel supporting the body, and a secondary transmission part, located on the body, for transfer of energy and/or information. The docking station and the tool can by way of emitted signals establish contact with each other so that the tool can drive up to the docking station and achieve a docking position wherein the primary and secondary transmission parts contact and cooperate to transfer of energy and/or information. The secondary transmission part is located on an upper portion of the body of the tool.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a docking system that includes a docking station for location on a surface to be worked upon. The docking station has a primary transmission part for transfer of energy and/or information. The system includes a self-propelled working tool for movement on the surface. The tool has a body, a surface-engaging wheel supporting the body, and a secondary transmission part, located on the body, for transfer of energy and/or information. The docking station and the tool can by way of emitted signals establish contact with each other so that the tool can drive up to the docking station and achieve a docking position wherein the primary and secondary transmission parts contact and cooperate to transfer of energy and/or information. The docking station includes a part spaced upwardly away from the surface. The primary transmission part is located on the part and is directed downwardly toward the surface.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a docking system that includes a docking station for location on a surface to be worked upon. The docking station has a primary transmission part for transfer of energy and/or information. The system includes a self-propelled working tool for movement on the surface. The tool has a body, a surface-engaging wheel supporting the body, and a secondary transmission part, located on the body, for transfer of energy and/or information. The docking station and the tool can by way of emitted signals establish contact with each other so that the tool can drive up to the docking station and achieve a docking position wherein the primary and secondary transmission parts contact and cooperate to transfer of energy and/or information. The docking station includes a part extending upward away from the surface. The primary transmission part being located on the part. The docking station and the tool are configured such that at least a portion of the tool body is located beneath at least a portion of the part upon which the primary part is located and the surface engaging wheel remains engaged with the surface when the primary and secondary transmission parts contact each other in the docking position.